RESIDENTS living near the former airfield in Throckmorton are becoming impatient for an end to noise and nuisance on the burial site following the foot and mouth crisis.

The construction firm, Halcrow, is helping to manage the site for Defra, following the burial of more than 130,000 animals in huge pits.

Heavy machinery is being used to top up the pits when the soil sinks over the rotting carcasses and two vehicles a day transport the resultant fluids to a Birmingham sewage works for treatment.

Villager Mark Mills, from College Row, said he had attended numerous liaison meetings with members of Defra and Halcrow but, despite promises that the work was nearing completion, deadline dates had been continually altered.

He said: "Throughout autumn, construction completion dates were promised, only for the deadlines to be moved on. This is obviously frustrating and does nothing to instil any confidence.

"We are all resigned to the fact that work has to continue but would like some honesty from Defra."

Mr Mills is also calling for operation hours to be cut to between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday and no weekend work.

He said: "It is becoming tiresome hearing construction noise 12 hours-a-day, six days-a-week."

He added that the name of Throckmorton was now synonymous with the foot and mouth outbreak and would be stigmatised for years, resulting in a drop in house prices.

Defra spokesman, Andy Myatt, said: "Activities to restore the ground to acceptable conditions are ongoing.

"We have also had to reconstruct the old runway and carry out maintenance work, such as rebuilding fences. We can only react to the conditions as we find them."

Wychavon district councillor Malcolm Argyle said: "I have sympathy with residents as we were told the major works were going to be finished by November."

He added that he had recently visited the site and had no worries about how it was being managed.